If You Manage Hypertension and Diabetes Well, the Government Gives Money... How Much is the 'Incentive'?

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 4th that starting from July, it will provide incentives of up to 60,000 KRW based on health outcomes to chronic disease patients and others practicing healthy lifestyles in 24 regions nationwide.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A pilot project that allows individuals to gain not only health but also money by practicing self-health management is set to be implemented. The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 4th that starting from July, incentives of up to 50,000 to 60,000 KRW annually will be provided based on the degree of health management practice and improvement to support and motivate the public's health management.

On the same day, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held the "12th Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee of 2021" to discuss the pilot project of the "Healthy Lifestyle Practice Support Fund." This project is scheduled to be conducted from July in 24 regions nationwide, targeting voluntary applicants.

Participants are divided into two categories: health prevention type and health management type. The health prevention type includes health insurance subscribers (including dependents) with health risk factors, such as those with high blood pressure or a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. The health management type includes chronic disease patients participating in the primary care chronic disease management pilot project, such as those with hypertension or diabetes.

Program participants will be evaluated on how much effort they put into health in their daily lives and whether there is an improvement in health as a result. Incentives will be given based on performance. If participating in the "health prevention type" program, individuals can receive up to 50,000 KRW annually depending on their health practice efforts. Those in the "health management type" program can receive incentives up to 50,000 KRW for hypertension and up to 60,000 KRW for diabetes.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare explained that this project is a "preventive health policy aimed at extending the period of healthy living beyond the time spent suffering from diseases through self-health management." They also expressed expectations that "through preventive management of chronic diseases, unnecessary medical use will be suppressed, and a reduction in medical expenses can be confirmed."